A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

be a steady hand • have a steady hand
be a steady hand —be not given to frivolity, eccentricity, etc.:
Thomas is a steady hand, never late for business, never out of
temper…
have a steady hand —
1
. have a firm hand, one not shaky: Mr.
Peterson still has a steady hand, shaving himself twice weekly.
2. (usually of a leader) be firm and consistent in one’s behavior:
He has a steady hand and will do an excellent job of guiding
the division.
be about to • be not about to
be about to —be on the point of doing smth.: But just as he
was about to say something, he forgot what it was he was
about to say.
be not about to —
1
. be not going to do smth. soon: It seems
that conventional teaching is not about to be supplanted by
virtual universities. 2. (U.S. coll.) be unwilling to do smth.:
“I’m sorry, I can’t lend you the money. I may need it….” “Hey,
why don’t you just say that you’re not about to.”
be absent from something • be absent in some-
thing
be absent from something —(of people) be not present at a
place: He is never absent from work without an excuse.
Note:
The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the phrase
absent oneself from something
— stay away from an event, etc.;
avoid something: I absented myself from the conversation at
the next decent opportunity.
be absent in something —(of things) be missing in smth.: The
impulsive type of noise (ignition interference and static) is
generally absent in radar.
be afraid • be afraid, be very afraid
be afraid —
1
. be frightened or apprehensive about smth.:
Willie recounted his life of drugs and violence in remorseless
terms, and said he was not afraid to die. 2. feeling regret about
smth.: Mary did not let me send the paper at first, she kept
hoping it was a mistake, but I am afraid it is too true.
be afraid, be very afraid —(imper.) is used as a humorous
cliché to say that smth. unwelcome is imminent: The reser-
vation staff are friendly — but be afraid, be very afraid of the
restaurant staff…